Press Release WHV Press Release: The Color Purple (2023) (4k UHD) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

“THE COLOR PURPLE is rousing, moving, toe tapping, emotional, rich and satisfying.”

Deadline / Pete Hammond​

“The cast takes your breath away.”

Los Angeles Times / Katie Walsh





THE COLOR PURPLE


The Bold New Take on The Beloved Classic

Debuts For Premium Digital Ownership on January 16



4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD arrive on March 12​

Burbank, CA, January 15, 2024 – Experience the extraordinary sisterhood of three women who share one unbreakable bond when “The Color Purple” arrives for purchase Digitally at home on January 16. This bold new take on the beloved classic is directed by Blitz Bazawule (“Black Is King,” “The Burial of Kojo”) and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. The film will also be available to purchase on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 12.

• On January 16, “The Color Purple” will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home for $24.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $19.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase movies, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu, and more.

• On March 12, “The Color Purple” will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD. “The Color Purple” will also continue to be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.

“The Color Purple” is directed by Blitz Bazawule from a screenplay by acclaimed playwright and WGA Award winner Marcus Gardley (“The Maid”). Bazawule is a Ghanaian multimedia artist who was a co-director on Beyonce’s musical film “Black is King” and made his feature debut with the critically acclaimed Afrofuturistic “The Burial of Kojo.”



The film stars Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”), SAG Award winner and Tony Award nominee, reprising her role on Broadway, Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple,” “Orange Is the New Black”), Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo (“Rustin,” “Euphoria,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Tony Award nominee Corey Hawkins (“Six Degrees of Separation,” “In the Heights”), Oscar- and Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. (“Judas and the Black Messiah”), Grammy nominee Halle Bailey (“The Little Mermaid”), Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard,” “Ray”), and Grammy-winning artist Fantasia Barrino as Celie in her major motion picture debut. Also starring are the legendary Louis Gossett, Jr. (“Roots,” “An Officer and a Gentleman”), Phylicia Pearl Mpasi in her feature film debut, singer/songwriter Ciara and Oscar winner Jon Batiste (“Soul”), among others.



Gardley’s script is based on the novel by Alice Walker and based on the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, who also served as executive music producer along with Nick Baxter and Bazawule.



“The Color Purple” is nominated for 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards – Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in A Supporting role for Danielle Brooks; and Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.



Synopsis:

Torn apart from her sister Nettie (Halle Bailey) and her children, Celie (Fantasia Barrino in her major motion picture debut, reprising her 2005 role from Broadway) faces many hardships in her life, including an abusive husband simply called Mister (Colman Domingo). With the support of sultry singer Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson) and stand-her-ground stepdaughter Sofia (Danielle Brooks, Tony-nominated for the role on Broadway), Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.

DIGITAL, 4K, BLU-RAY & ELEMENTS​

“The Color Purple” Premium Digital Ownership, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:

• Creating The Color Purple: A Bold New Take on the Beloved Classic
  • Join the director, Blitz Bazawule, filmmakers and cast on their high-stakes, high intensity, heart-stopping, and awe-inspiring odyssey to bring Alice Walker’s beloved novel to life.
• Hell Yes! The Iconic Characters of The Color Purple
  • The cast, producer Oprah Winfrey, and director Blitz Bazawule explore the characters – their personalities and intricate interpersonal dynamics, as well as their relatability and lasting impact – and how the actors connected and grew as performers.
• In The Flow: Creating The Color Purple’s Biggest Musical Moments
  • Rehearsal footage reveals what it took director Blitz Bazawule, producer Scott Sanders, Quincy Jones, the cast, and the music team to push through the stumbles and missteps and hone all the rough edges to get each musical number exactly right.
• A Story For Me: The Legacy of The Color Purple
  • The cast and filmmakers discuss the importance of Alice Walker’s novel – its timelessness and how it has touched so many, from book to landmark 1985 film to 2005 Broadway musical – and what it means for them to be a part of this bold new film.

​

BASICS



Premium Digital Ownership: January 16, 2024

4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: March 12, 2024



4K Languages: Canadian French, English, Latin Spanish

4K Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Canadian French

BD Languages: Canadian French, English, Latin Spanish

BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Canadian French

DVD Languages: Canadian French, English, Latin Spanish

DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Canadian French



Running Time: 141 minutes

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual content, violence and language

DVD: DLBY/DGTL

Blu-ray: ATMOS TrueHD

​

PRODUCT ERP

4K UHD + Digital $27.99

Blu-ray + Digital $22.99

DVD $17.99



Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

https://www.amazon.com/Color-Purple-Ultra-Digital-UHD/dp/B0CQ6JK2D9/ref=sr_1_2?crid=8TCM4XXAGQ4R&keywords=the+color+purple+2023&qid=1705336959&sprefix=the+color+purple+2023,aps,86&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Color-Purple...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705336959&sr=8-2

 

[trajan007]

Great film.

 

[Todd Erwin]

March 12 is going to be a very big day:

Aliens
The Abyss
True Lies
Wish
The Color Purple (2023)

and likely more to come...

 

[Jake Lipson]

The digital release is tomorrow. They're really giving up on the theatrical release at this point. I'm surprised at how steeply it has fallen after opening pretty well on Christmas.

The 1080p Blu-ray artwork is slightly less bad than the UHD art, but nowhere near as good as the cover artwork for the original film.

This is a day one purchase for me for sure.

 

[Malcolm R]

Deadline thought it would easily clear $100 million based on the Christmas day opening number. It might barely scrape past $60 million now, if it's lucky.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Seems to be a movie where almost literally everyone who wanted to see it saw it Xmas Day!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I originally wasn't that interested, but will probably try to see it next day or two before it leaves AMC theaters here in NYC...

_Man_

 

[Jake Lipson]

I originally wasn't that interested

What changed your mind?

On another note, there is a digital bundle release which contains both the 1985 and 2023 films of The Color Purple as a single purchase. I'm a bit surprised that WB hasn't announced a physical release of the 2-pack. I don't need it because I already own the 1985 film. But it seems like an obvious thing to do that would probably move some additional copies of the original on the back of the new release.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

What changed your mind?

Just didn't think it'd be a good idea... but glad I saw it yesterday afterall. It was much better than I expected... and certainly much better than Barbie (at least as an actual musical, not just aspirational concept w/ interesting/cool visuals) FWIW, heh...

It was generally lighter and fluffier (and more uplifting) than I woulda expected though...

_Man_

 

[Jake Lipson]

and certainly much better than Barbie (at least as an actual musical, not just aspirational concept) FWIW, heh...

What do Barbie and The Color Purple have in common that you thought of that comparison?

I like both, but they seem pretty different. Warner Bros. released both in 2023 and they both have female leads. That's pretty much it.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

What do Barbie and The Color Purple have in common that you thought of that comparison?

I like both, but they seem pretty different. Warner Bros. released both in 2023 and they both have female leads. That's pretty much it.

They have about as much in common as almost any 2 other movies not part of some franchise/series? Not like we get a ton of musicals every year either afterall...

Surely, they'll be compared just because it's awards season and both are probably getting at least some noms, heh...

_Man_

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I continue to be amazed by the shrinking theatrical-to-home release window.

Wasn't this film released on Christmas day? In less than four weeks it's already available to purchase digitally.

 

[TravisR]

Wasn't this film released on Christmas day?

Yep. It did pretty well initially but dropped like a stone after a week or two so I guess they decided to go digital as soon as possible.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Yep. It did pretty well initially but dropped like a stone after a week or two so I guess they decided to go digital as soon as possible.

Yop. The film just sank like a stone after a good opening day or 2.


If it'd done better, WB wouldn't have rushed the "window".

 

[Jake Lipson]

In less than four weeks it's already available to purchase digitally.

17 days is standard for Universal movies that open to less than $50 million. Warner Bros. usually goes with 45 days but must be taking a page out of Universal's book for this title. As others have mentioned, the box office has fallen off drastically. I really don't think WB is leaving a significant amount of box office on the table in this specific case.

The studios don't really seem to care that much where people spend money as long as they get it. If they can make some extra money with faster/more expensive digital sales or rentals, that still goes into the film's pot even if it wasn't earned in a theatrical setting. That's just how things work now.

 

[Jake Lipson]

HBO Max is currently streaming a number of behind the scenes specials about this film.

-- Oprah and The Color Purple Journey (56 minutes)
-- OWN Celebrates The New Color Purple (42 minutes)
-- OWN Spotlight: The Color Purple Interviews
(Oprah interviewing Taraji P. Henson, Fantasia Burrito and Danielle Brooks separately for 42 minutes each)

It seems like all of these should be included on the Blu-ray without significant additional cost to Warner Bros., because they already exist. But I don't see them listed among the bonus features. Why am I not surprised? Sigh.

Also -- quoting from the press release, not from Ron personally:

PRODUCT ERP
Blu-ray + Digital $22.99

What does this mean? I'm used to "SRP" meaning Suggested Retail Price, but not ERP.

Amazon is currently offering the Blu-ray + digital for $24.98, which is more than the price listed in this press release for the same item. What's up with that?

 

[Tino]

What does this mean? I'm used to "SRP" meaning Suggested Retail Price, but not ERP.

Estimated retail price perhaps?

 

[Jake Lipson]

Estimated retail price perhaps?

Good theory. But if that's it, Amazon shouldn't be charging $2 more than retail.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

HBO Max is currently streaming a number of behind the scenes specials about this film.

-- Oprah and The Color Purple Journey (56 minutes)
-- OWN Celebrates The New Color Purple (42 minutes)
-- OWN Spotlight: The Color Purple Interviews
(Oprah interviewing Taraji P. Henson, Fantasia Burrito and Danielle Brooks separately for 42 minutes each)

It seems like all of these should be included on the Blu-ray without significant additional cost to Warner Bros., because they already exist. But I don't see them listed among the bonus features. Why am I not surprised? Sigh.

Also -- quoting from the press release, not from Ron personally:


What does this mean? I'm used to "SRP" meaning Suggested Retail Price, but not ERP.

Amazon is currently offering the Blu-ray + digital for $24.98, which is more than the price listed in this press release for the same item. What's up with that?

"ERP" is the sound that comes out of me when I eat too many enchiladas.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Streaming on HBO Max next Friday, February 16, 25 days before the physical disc release.